Stray Raven
by geekinthepink614
Summary: "But what if it's true? What if a Branded really can't find Heaven?" "Then I'll walk through Hell with you."
1. The Greil Mercenaries

**Author's Note: I have been itching to write this story for weeks now! So excited to get the first chapter up! The story begins not long before Lucia's rescue in Radiant Dawn.**

 **Obviously, I don't own rights to Fire Emblem; I just own copies of Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn and my OCs.**

 **A big thank you to Nevuno for helping me come up with Phoenix's name! I'd had Garland and Riven hammered out pretty well but, for the life of me, I couldn't think of a name for the third OC! You are awesome, my friend!**

* * *

"Is that them?" Ike asked as he and a small faction of the Greil Mercenaries looked down into a clearing in the forest. They had been tasked with stopping a group of bandits that had taken to stealing goods from a small Crimean town on the border with Gallia. The two figures standing in the clearing, riffling through a sack, fit the descriptions the villagers gave of two of the bandits: two young men, both appearing to be in their mid-teens, one with shaggy bright orange hair and honey-colored eyes, and a much larger one with royal purple hair tied back in a braid and forest green eyes.

"Seems to be," Oscar replied. "They match the descriptions perfectly, right down to the weapons; the big one has an axe strapped across his back and the smaller one has a sword attached to his belt."

"Something's wrong," Soren argued. "The villagers specifically said that there were three bandits and the two of them are just standing out in the open like that. If they've managed to evade the villagers all this time, they can't possibly be that stupid. My guess is that the third one is a mage or an archer and is probably hiding in the trees somewhere, waiting to see if the villagers send someone after those two."

"Well, whatever the case," Ike said, keeping his eyes on the figures. "We're going to have to make a move. The big guy's spotted us. Move out, but stay alert. Soren and Rhys, try to avoid getting too close to the forest. If they do have an archer hidden somewhere, you two are going to be his first targets."

* * *

"Shit," the purple-haired man ground when he saw the mercenaries at the top of the hill. "Those damn villagers sent a squad out to finish us off!"

"But how did we not catch sight of them before?" the orange-haired one asked.

"We were too focused on getting away," the first replied. "We got careless. Besides, the boss isn't with us. She would have spotted them coming from a mile away." He looked down at the bag, then back at the mercenaries running down the hill towards them. "Listen Phoenix, take the haul and make a run for it back to the cave."

"What are you gonna do?" Phoenix asked.

"I'll do my best to hold them off from here," the larger man answered, readying his axe. "Just get the stuff to the boss. And if anything happens to me...tell her thank you. For everything."

Phoenix nodded and hoisted the bag onto his shoulder but he wasn't able to run more than a few paces before a wall of fire appeared out of nowhere, blocking off his retreat into the forest.

"Damn it," he said, setting the bag down again before turning back to face the mercenaries. "Looks like they aren't going to make this easy for us, Riven. But we're not going down without a fight."

* * *

"Who are these guys?" Ike asked as he clashed swords with Phoenix again. "They don't look like much but they fight like demons."

"Not only that but take a look at their eyes," Soren added, casting a Wind spell that knocked Riven off his feet, allowing Oscar to subdue him quickly. "The longer this fight drags out, the more panicked they become. We're not just dealing with bandits; we're dealing with people that think we'll kill them if they lose. Not to mention the fact that this supposed third bandit still hasn't made an appearance."

Ike nodded as he forced Phoenix back. "You're right. Something's felt off about this ever since we found these two. We need to end this quickly and figure out what's really going on." He turned to Rhys. "You know what to do."

Rhys nodded and muttered a Light spell while the remaining Greil Mercenaries covered their eyes. A blinding light shone over the clearing and Phoenix dropped his sword to cover his eyes, letting out a hiss of pain as he did so. Before he had a chance to recover, Ike quickly moved behind him and pinned his arms behind his back. Ike looked over at Oscar to see that he was doing the same to Riven.

"So," Ike began as he looked at the two captives. "Now that we've got that out of our systems, would you mind telling me what's going on?" When neither made a move to respond, Ike looked over at Soren. "What's in the bag?"

"Nothing but food and some vulneraries," Soren replied.

"So it wasn't like you two stole anything terribly expensive," Ike said, looking back to the captives. "Why steal at all?"

"You don't understand," Phoenix finally spoke up. "We stole that stuff because we had to."

"Why did you 'have' to steal anything?" Oscar probed.

"Because those villagers hurt our boss," Phoenix elaborated as he shook with rage. "They chased us out of the village and she took a hit that was meant for me and now she's dying and we were just trying to find a way to heal her!"

"Why did they chase you out of the village?" Rhys asked.

"Ugh, we don't have time for this!" Riven shouted. "Boss could be dead now for all we know! Please just let us take this stuff to her!"

Ike and Oscar shared a glance. "Alright," Ike agreed. "But we're coming with you. I expect you to give us the answers we're looking for. Deal?"

"I guess we don't have much of a choice," Riven replied. "But how do we know you aren't going to try something?"

"That's up to you," Ike said. "So long as you two don't have any tricks planned, you and your boss have nothing to worry about."

* * *

The pair lead the mercenaries to a cave hidden behind a curtain of ivy. Near the far wall, tucked out of sight against some rocks, lay a young woman with long navy blue hair tied back into a ponytail. Her eyes were closed and it was obvious that her breathing was labored. There was a deep gash on her arm and the skin around the wound was starting to turn purple.

"Do you understand now?" Riven asked as Rhys knelt down to take a closer look at the wound. "This is why we took all that stuff. Those villagers did this to her so the least they could do was contribute to her recovery."

Rhys shook his head. "Those vulneraries won't do you any good. She's not just cut; she's been poisoned. I have a Restore staff and, if you'd permit me, I will gladly bring her back to health."

Phoenix and Riven shared a quick glance before nodding to the priest. Rhys took out his staff and held it over the girl's body. The orb at the end of the staff began to glow and the wound lost its purple tint and slowly closed.

"There," Rhys said once the wound had completely healed. "She should be waking up any moment now."

As if on cue, the girl began to stir. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open to reveal a pair of sharp, cobalt blue eyes. She jerked upright immediately once her eyes focused on Rhys kneeling next to her, her gaze becoming more panicked when she noticed the other mercenaries, before calming just slightly when she saw Riven and Phoenix.

"Umm...guys," the girl began. "Who are all these people? And what are they doing here?"

"Yeah, about that," Phoenix said nervously. "You remember those villagers that ran us out of town yesterday? Apparently, they contracted these guys to deal with us." He ducked behind Riven when he saw the girl's eye twitch. "But before you start yelling, you should know that they beat us in a fight."

The girl pinched the bridge of her nose. "Nothing you're saying is making me not want to yell at you."

"What he means is," Riven continued. "They could have finished us off right then and there. We told them that you were hurt and they let us bring the stuff we...appropriated...from the village back here. That priest even healed your wound once we found out the vulneraries we brought wouldn't work."

"I see," the girl said before turning to the mercenaries warily. "And what's the catch?"

"All we're looking for is some answers," Ike replied as he knelt next to Rhys. "My name's Ike. And you three are?"

The girl sighed. "I suppose answering your questions is the least we can do, all things considered. I'm Garland." She then gestured to her two companions. "The big guy behind you is Riven and the smaller one is Phoenix."

"Your friends are pretty talented fighters," Ike commented. "Are you a fighter as well?"

"Are you kidding?!" Phoenix chimed in. "She's one of the best archers out there!"

"I don't know about that," Garland said. "But my eyesight is sharper than your average beorcs. It makes for a pretty good advantage when you're a long-distance fighter."

"Your skills must have made stealing pretty easy for you," Soren commented.

Garland blinked. "You make it sound as though stealing is something we make a habit of. It is true that we've had to do it in the past but it was only because we saw no other way. Survival is our top priority. It has to be."

"Then why don't you try making an honest living? Earn money so you three don't have to steal?" Rhys asked.

"That _is_ what we usually do but it always turns out the same no matter what town we go to," Phoenix replied. "It's the same thing over and over; we do some odd jobs here and there, maybe even a little mercenary work, but we always end up getting chased out of whatever town we're in once they..."

"'Once they' what?" Ike pressed.

"Once they find out what we are," Phoenix finished quietly.

None of the three elaborated beyond that but Ike was beginning to put the pieces together. He turned back to Oscar and Rhys. "Could you two give us a minute? I think I have an idea of what's been going on but I don't think they'll say anything with all of us in here. I want Soren to stay though; if I'm right, it'll be beneficial to everyone here."

Once Oscar and Rhys had left the cave and were safely out of earshot, Ike turned back to the trio. Riven and Phoenix had moved to sit next to Garland.

"You three are Branded, aren't you?" Ike asked bluntly.

"Yes, all three of us," Garland replied immediately, pulling the collar of her shirt down to reveal a brand just above her right breast.

"B-Boss!" Phoenix exclaimed.

"There's no point in hiding it; he already knows," Garland pointed out, never breaking eye contact with Ike.

Soren's eyes widened just slightly at Garland's admission. He'd never expected to come across another person like him, let alone three in the same place. The savagery of the attack made much more sense now and he couldn't stop the anger he felt toward the villagers. Elincia's rule may have one of peace and equality but it appeared that Branded were still treated as badly as ever.

"That would explain why the villagers attacked you so violently," he commented. "It also explains why you've never settled down anywhere and why you're all so loyal to each other."

"Branded look after their own," Riven said. "At this point, our home is with each other."

Ike and Soren shared a look before Soren nodded his head. "In that case, how would you feel if I offered you three a new home with the Greil Mercenaries?" Ike asked.

The trio blinked. "Uh, what?" Riven asked. "We just told you that we were Branded and you're going to open up your home to us?"

"That's right," Ike confirmed.

"So what we are doesn't bother you at all?" Riven asked.

Ike shrugged. "I'm more interested in who somebody is as a person than the circumstances of their birth. None of you seem like bad people and, frankly, we could use people with talents like yours."

"But you haven't even seen what I can do," Garland pointed out.

"If you're anywhere near as good as your friends-"

"She's even better than we are," Phoenix piped up. "And those eyes of hers have gotten us out of more scrapes than I can count."

"Good enough for me," Ike said.

"Okay," Garland began. "Now I get to ask a question. Why is it that you display no prejudice toward the Branded? You're Crimean too, right? And yet you're one of the only people that have treated us like living creatures after finding out about what we are."

"That's because I'm a Branded as well," Soren spoke up, pointing to the mark on his forehead. "Ike saved my life when I was younger; it's how he has always been. When I finally told him I was a Branded, he just shrugged it off and said that it didn't matter. That I was his friend before I was anything else."

"Besides," Ike continued. "Nobody deserves to go through what you three have; being hated for something you can't control. If you come with us, I can promise you that you'll have a safe place to call home and you'll never have to steal to get food or supplies again. Soren and I won't say anything about your secret, either; maybe one day you'll feel comfortable telling everyone yourselves."

"With that said, we will be expecting you to earn your keep," Soren cut in. "You'll become mercenaries as well. This isn't going to be a free ride for any of you."

The trio shared a glance between themselves before turning back to Ike and Soren.

"We're in."

* * *

 **Ending Notes: I feel like I need to mention that Reyson isn't going to be making an appearance for a little while. I don't want to bring him in before he actually shows up in the game so it might take me a few chapters before he and Garland even meet each other.**

 **Please feel free to let me know what you think! Feedback and constructive criticism are always appreciated! Thank you so much for reading! Geekinthepink, out!**


	2. Acclimating

**Author's Notes: I honestly didn't intend to stay away from this story for as long as I didn't, but I just didn't have the mojo to work on it. I really appreciate you guys sticking with me and I hope this chapter makes up for the wait!**

* * *

It was slow-going, but Garland, Riven, and Phoenix were slowly beginning to adjust to life with the Greil Mercenaries. The villagers hadn't been too happy that Ike had decided to let them live, but he was able to talk them down after reminding them that the mercenaries had been hired to simply stop the trio from raiding the village, _not_ to kill them on sight. The three had a difficult time opening up to the other members of the group at first, but they were slowly and surely coming out of their shells. Phoenix in particular had warmed to some of the others fairly quickly; due to their similar personalities and glad to finally have someone to train with, he formed a fast friendship with Mia. Riven and Garland were more reserved, but their interactions with the others were growing steadily warmer as well.

Much to their surprise, the other mercenaries had also noticed that Soren had taken to spending time with the newcomers. He was still fairly quiet and reserved but he seemed more at ease around the three of them than with any of the other mercenaries besides Ike.

"I think it's adorable that those three have adopted Soren," Mist commented to Ike one day as she watched them. Soren was sitting underneath one of the large trees at the base, looking over a piece of parchment. Riven sat quietly next to him while Garland lay stretched out on her back in the shade and Phoenix trained with Mia a distance away.

"I think Soren was the one that adopted _them_ ," Ike replied. "But I get what you mean. It's nice that he's starting to let people in."

"Why them, though?" Mist wondered. "Soren's never warmed up to new recruits before and certainly not as quickly as he did to them."

"I'm not really sure how to explain it, but the four of them have a lot in common," Ike reasoned.

"Maybe, but I still wish they'd be more open with the rest of us," Mist said.

"Just give them some time," Ike replied. "Soren's made a lot of progress since the Mad King's War, and Garland, Riven, and Phoenix will get there soon enough. I'm not sure how long they were traveling together, but I know that it was just the three of them for a really long time. It makes sense that they'd have a hard time adjusting at first, but we just have to be patient."

Mist shrugged. "I guess you're right. I just wish I knew more about them."

* * *

"I know this is a rude question, but do the three of you happen to know the circumstances of your births?" Soren asked as he looked over the inventory.

"What, you mean our laguz parentage?" Garland replied as she rolled onto her stomach to face Soren and Riven. "Phoenix is the only one that knows his with certainty, but Riv and I have some theories about ours."

"I'd be interested in hearing them, if you don't mind," Soren said.

"Phoenix's father was a member of the Cat tribe," Riven explained. "Out of the three of us, he was the only one that had a truly loving relationship with his parents. It was because of that love that he chose to leave them once he was old enough to understand what his Brand was; he didn't want to cause them any more trouble because of what he was. My parents abandoned me once my Brand manifested itself. They were both Beorc, though, so I can only assume that the Beorc/Laguz coupling happened in a previous generation. Obviously, I never had the chance to ask them about my ancestry but-" He paused to pull his shirt up, revealing a Brand on his side. "since my Brand looks similar to Phoenix's, we think I've got some Beast tribe blood in me as well; most likely Tiger, but I'll probably never know for sure."

Soren nodded before turning his red orbs toward Garland. "What's your story?"

Garland shrugged. "I never knew my birth parents. An old woman named Sophia raised me; I'm not entirely sure if we were related somehow or if she was just a friend of one of my parents. She was the one who explained what my Brand was and warned me to always keep it hidden. I struck out on my own after she passed away and I eventually ran into Riv and Phoenix. Based on our theories about Branded marks, since mine looks nothing like either of theirs, I probably don't have any Beast blood in me. If we were putting money on it, I'd guess my Laguz ancestor was a member of one of the Bird tribes, most likely a Raven."

"What makes you so sure it's a member of the Bird tribes?" Soren asked. "You could be part Dragon."

Garland snorted. "I doubt it. I can't imagine there are many, if any, Dragon-Branded out there given how isolated Goldoa is. Besides, all these theories are assuming we're right about Brands looking similar among certain tribes. I'm just assuming I'm part Raven because the lady who raised me lived near coastal Begnion." She sighed before turning her gaze toward Soren. "What about you?"

"Not much to tell, I'm afraid," Soren replied. "Like you, I have no idea who my birth parents are, assuming they're still alive. The circumstances that I was raised in were...less than ideal. And that's all I'm going to say about it."

"Fair enough," Riven said before standing up and stretching. "Well, I think I'm going to follow Phoenix's example and train a bit myself. I'll see you guys at dinner."

* * *

Riven was in the middle of practicing with his hand axe when he heard a voice call out to him. He turned around to see Boyd walking toward him, his axe slung over his shoulder.

"Mind if I train with you?" the green-haired mercenary asked. "Titania's been riding me all day about slacking off."

Riven shrugged before turning back and picking his hand axe up again. "It's fine with me."

The pair trained in silence for a while before Boyd spoke up again. "So how have you guys been liking it here? I wanted to ask earlier, but I haven't had many chances to talk to any of you yet."

"It's been an adjustment, that's for sure," Riven replied. "Going from just the three of us to a whole mercenary group has taken some getting used to." He sighed before tossing his axe again. "I'm happy, though. And I know Phoenix and Boss are, too. Phoenix loves being around other people and I know Boss was more than happy to hand leadership over to Commander Ike."

"Yeah, I kinda got the feeling that she was the ringleader when Ike brought you guys in," Boyd commented. "Why did she choose to be the leader if she hated it so much?"

"Phoenix and I have a bad habit of not sweating the small stuff and when you're a bunch of drifters, like the three of us were, you need someone with you who does," Riven replied. "If she had been with us when Ike stumbled across us, I know we wouldn't have been caught. She wouldn't have let us get caught."

"Sounds like you've got a lot of faith in her," Boyd observed. "How long had you all been traveling together?"

Riven let out a long breath. "Feels like forever. I can't remember exactly how many years Boss and I traveled together, but I remember Phoenix didn't join up with us until about three years ago. We all watched each other's backs and we ended up getting close pretty quickly. We butt heads occasionally but we'll always be thick as thieves." He sent Boyd a small smile. "Not unlike you and your brothers, I'd imagine."

Boyd smiled back. "Yeah. I don't always appreciate Oscar's sarcasm and Rolf can be an irritating little booger sometimes, but they're family. The entire company is." He paused for a moment before speaking again, trying his best to weigh his words carefully. "Since you three are part of the company now, that means you're all family too. I know it won't happen overnight, but hopefully you three will come to see us that way too in time."

Riven turned to face Boyd, studying his face for a long moment as if trying to detect any insincerity, before smiling again. "Thanks for that. I know we aren't the best at showing it, but we're grateful to you all."

Boyd nodded. "And, uh, if you aren't too opposed to it or anything...maybe we could train together more often? I can't tell you how excited I was when I learned there was another axe user joining the company."

Riven chuckled. "I'd like that."

* * *

Garland stood at the top of a grassy hill a short distance away from the Greil Mercenaries' fort. The hill overlooked a large open field with a wooded area toward the far end and a few trees throughout the field. She'd stumbled upon this place while exploring the area around the fort and, after inspecting it, found it to be an ideal place to practice with her bow; the trees provided excellent target practice and the size of the field allowed her to work on the distance of her shots. It was also a nice place for her to escape and be alone with her thoughts for a while.

"Umm...Garland?" a small voice asked as Garland fired off another arrow.

The bluenette turned around to see Rolf standing behind her, bow in hand. "Hey, Rolf. Everything okay?"

"Yeah," the boy answered. "I'm sorry to bother you but I got worried when I saw you leave; it's not safe to out here all by yourself. Not that I'm doubting your abilities or anything, but it's pretty easy for an archer to get overwhelmed if they don't have some backup." He glanced out toward the field. "I can see why you wanted to come out here, though. This is a pretty nice practice field you found."

Garland smiled. "I know, right. I was hoping to work on my distance a bit. I didn't mean to make you worry, though, so I'm sorry about that. I appreciate the concern, honestly I do, but trust me when I say it's not that I have no problem running away if I think a situation calls for it."

A snort sounded from behind them. "Any archer worth their salt shouldn't have to run."

Garland sighed. She didn't have to turn around to know the voice belonged to Shinon. "There's nothing wrong with running sometimes. The smaller your group is, the more important thing is that everyone survive. Besides, archers aren't frontline fighters; we're useless if we let enemies get too close."

"Still no excuse for tuckin' your tail between your legs," Shinon scoffed as he walked up next to Garland.

"You do understand that whatever 'skills' you think you have as an archer aren't worth shit if you're dead, right?" Garland asked.

"It doesn't matter if you're dead if you don't have any skills worth saving, Blueberry," Shinon retorted.

Rolf sighed. As much as he idolized and respected Shinon as an archer, a part of him did wish that the redhead would ease up on the insults. Rolf suspected that Shinon was a little resentful Ike bringing another sniper into the company; this wasn't helped by the fact that Garland was clearly good at what she did. He also knew that Shinon had developed a certain ( _very_ begrudging) respect for the bluenette, not that he'd ever admit it aloud. Fortunately, Garland didn't really seem to take any of Shinon's insults and comments too seriously; when Rolf had asked her about it, Garland merely shrugged and said she'd heard worse, even commenting that her sense of humor could be similarly scathing at times.

Without saying a word, Garland readied another arrow and fired it toward a tree at the farthest end of the field. The arrow landed in the dead center. She turned her head toward Shinon, an expectant look on her face.

"Tch. That was a lucky shot," Shinon reasoned. "I doubt you can make it again."

Garland fired another arrow without taking her eyes off of Shinon. This one hit in the exact same spot, piercing through the first arrow she'd shot. "You were saying...Cherry?"

Shinon scoffed, but remained silent.

"How did you do that?!" Rolf exclaimed. "You didn't even look at where you were aiming!"

Garland smiled down at the boy. "When it was just me, Riv, and Phoenix traveling together, I had to keep an eye on a bunch of different things when we got into battles. I had to be able to multitask." She nodded toward the tree. "Something like that's pretty easy when all you have to do is remember the position your hands were in. Even so, I doubt I could pull something like that off with a moving target; it takes way too much guesswork to try and figure out if and which way they're gonna move." She looked toward the sun before turning back toward the fort. "Anyway, we should probably head back. I imagine it's almost time for dinner."

The trio walked back to the fort, Rolf trotting alongside Garland and firing off about a million questions about where she learned how to shoot. Shinon hung back a little ways, but threw in an occasional sarcastic remark, smirking whenever Garland responded with a quip of her own.

This was going to be the start of a interesting (and incredibly vitriolic) friendship.

* * *

 **Ending Notes: Boo-yah! Another chapter completed! I wanted to give my Branded Trio a little more backstory before we got into the actual plot of the game as well as have them build some bonds with some other members of the Greil Mercenaries. The fun's really gonna start in the next chapter.**

 **I also had a question I wanted to ask you guys. When it comes time for me to cover Part 4 (when everyone's split into three teams and make their way to Begnion), do you all think I should keep the trio together or assign them to different teams? If I do assign them to different teams, I'll be writing chapters detailing the different journeys each team makes (plus I think it might be interesting to give the OCs a chance to form bonds with some different characters). Let me know what you guys think!**

 **As always, feedback and constructive criticism are more than welcome! Thank you so much for reading! Geekinthepink, out!**


	3. A New Mission

**Author's Notes: Hey, whaddaya know, it didn't take me over half a year to update this time! I ended up rewriting most of this chapter. No matter what I did, I couldn't get things to fit the way I wanted them to. I also realized that I have no earthly clue how to write Bastian, so don't expect any original speaking lines for him. Not yet, at least.**

 **Holy crap, I think I finally gave every Greil Mercenary at least one line in this chapter!**

* * *

"Ya know, I get why it's important to maintain a lookout in most circumstances, but the Greil Mercenaries' base is the middle of nowhere," Phoenix said.

"That's true, but the fact that we're based in rural Crimea might potentially make it easier for an enemy to stage an ambush," Garland replied from her perch in a nearby tree as she looked out over the horizon.

"Doesn't change the fact that it gets amazingly dull playing sentry out here," Phoenix complained.

"There's no sense in complaining, Phoenix," Garland admonished. "If it means we get a roof over our heads, food to eat, and people we can trust, then I'd stay out here all day if I had to."

"Yeah, and the fact that you prefer being out here to being indoors probably makes it an easy choice for ya," Shinon drawled as he made his way over from his post at the opposite end of the fort.

"I already told you, Cherry, I'm not a fan of enclosed spaces," Garland replied. "It's like being trapped in a cage."

"Just the same, I don't see how you're able to do this every day," Shinon said, grunting as he hoisted himself up the tree and onto a branch adjacent to Garland's. "Especially in this weather; it's hot as hell out here."

"Ya know, nobody said you _had_ to keep watch out here," Garland pointed out.

"I know, but if I stayed inside I'd be depriving you of an opportunity to bask in the glow of my sparkling personality," Shinon snarked, his lips curling up into a smirk. "What kind of heartless man would I be if I let that happen?"

Garland rolled her eyes before reaching out to nudge him playfully with her foot. "You're full of it."

Phoenix smiled as the two archers bantered back and forth. Out of the three of them, Garland had been on her own the longest and had the hardest time opening up to the rest of the mercenaries. He and Riven were starting to worry that she wouldn't allow herself to bond with anyone in the company besides Soren, so they were pleasantly surprised when their former leader found a kindred spirit of sorts in Shinon; the two of them were extremely skilled and phenomenally snarky archers who tended to keep most people at a distance but Phoenix knew first-hand that once Garland's trust was earned, there probably wasn't a person on Tellius that was more devoted than she was. Phoenix suspected that Shinon was similar in that regard. The red-haired sniper kept almost everyone in the company at an arm's length and made no effort to hide his disdain for Commander Ike, but he also made no attempt to leave the company for more lucrative employment.

"Hold that thought, Cherry," Garland's voice startled Phoenix from his thoughts. "I think I see someone headed toward the fort."

Phoenix glanced up to see Garland squinting out into the distance. He followed her gaze toward the approaching figure. There only appeared to be one person approaching the fort, but he couldn't make out any of their features from their current distance. "Any idea who it is, Boss?"

Garland shook her head. "No clue. Judging from what I can make out, it's a blond male. I'm guessing he's some type of mage, given the robes he's wearing. Definitely not from around here, though; the quality of his clothes gives that away almost immediately." She was silent, studying the unknown male as he drew closer. "Okay yeah, he's definitely a noble of some sort. He's even got those weird pointy shoes that I've seen some of 'em wear."

"Blond magic-using noble with ridiculous shoes, huh? Sounds like Count Bastian to me," Shinon commented.

"Who?" Phoenix asked.

"Some bluestocking that we used to know from the Mad King's War. He's serving as Queen Elincia's adviser now, from what I understand," Shinon explained.

"What's he doing all the way out here, then?" Garland asked. "We aren't exactly walking distance from the capital."

Shinon shrugged. "Who knows. Probably wants to bore us to death with stories peppered with words normal people can't understand."

"Interesting guy," Garland commented before turning her gaze to Phoenix. "Go and grab the Commander, 'Nix. Let him know Sir What's-His-Face is here."

* * *

"Alright everyone, we've been contracted for a new mission," Ike announced later that evening. He, Titania, and Bastian had spoken privately for a long while once the Count had arrived. Bastian didn't give the rest of the mercenaries any hints about what he needed; he'd only said before leaving that it was 'a matter of great importance that would effect the balance of power in Crimea'.

"Are we protecting Queen Elincia again? Like we did during the war?" Mist asked.

"In a sense," Titania replied. "Apparently there's been quite a bit of unrest among the noble circles in Crimea lately. A large faction of the bluebloods aren't exactly happy with Queen Elincia's reign."

"Why not?" Rolf asked. "I always thought she was doing a great job."

"You can't tell me that you didn't see this coming," Riven commented.

"What do you mean, Riv?" Boyd asked. "The Queen's been doing her best to keep Crimea safe. The past three years have probably been the most peaceful the country's ever seen."

"That doesn't change the fact that Queen Elincia is an inexperienced ruler," Riv elaborated. "Her entire existence was kept secret from the public and, given that Lord Renning was intended to succeed the throne, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that she was never taught how to rule a kingdom. Keep in mind, guys, the nobility and average commoners didn't fight alongside her like you all did; they don't know how to gauge her strength or intelligence because they've never seen it."

"Abdicating her right to rule Daein after defeating King Ashnard probably didn't help matters, either," Garland chimed in.

"But Crimea didn't have the resources to rule another country after the war ended," Oscar pointed out. "Even with all the help we got from Begnion and Gallia, we barely had enough to rebuild ourselves."

Garland shrugged. "The commoners don't know that. It'd be pretty easy for one of the Queen's critics to try to spin her moderation as a form of weakness."

Ike nodded. "Apparently that's what some of these noblemen are trying to do. They've been saying that Elincia's an unfit ruler and is going to lead the country to ruin."

"But she's been ruling the exact same way since she was crowned," Gatrie pointed out. "Why are the nobles just raising a stink about it now?"

"Because Daein has won its independence and Ashnard's son has been crowned the new king," Soren replied.

A hush fell over the room for several long moments before Shinon finally recovered enough to speak. "Well...shit."

"Exactly," Soren continued. "There's a good chance this new king will decide to take a page out of his father's book and make another strike. It's not very surprising that people are becoming concerned with Elincia's ability to rule."

"Okay, but what are we supposed to do about it?" Garland asked. "I doubt any ruler has been without their critics and it's not like we can protect the Queen from harsh words."

"Count Bastian suspects that an uprising is in the works," Titania explained. "Officially, he's been sent on a mission to Daein soon to find out what he can about this new king, but his true purpose is to trick the rebels into their own defeat before the uprising even begins. He thinks his absence will give whomever is planning this coup the confidence they need to make their move."

"He honestly thinks that his presence is the only thing keeping the other nobles from rebelling?" Riven snorted. "Seems a bit arrogant, doesn't it?"

"Count Bastian isn't your average noble," Rhys replied. "He's regarded as Crimea's greatest tactician for a reason. His loyalty to Queen Elincia is only unwavering; I doubt anyone is going to try anything with him around."

"Regardless, we can't make a move unless we know what's going on," Ike continued before turning to Garland, Riven, and Phoenix. "That's where you all come in. I need you three to do a little reconnoissance for us and see if you can find anything out about who's organizing this uprising and what they're planning to do."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Phoenix asked.

"There's a tavern in the nearby town," Titania replied. "That would probably be the best place for you to start."

"Hang on," Shinon protested from his spot next to Garland. "Why do only the three of them get to go?"

Soren sighed. "I know it's a new concept, but try to use your head for once. Ever since the Mad King's War, the Greil Mercenaries have become a household name. Most people in Crimea remember our faces, especially around here." He jerked his head toward the trio. "The three of them are the only ones whose identities are still anonymous. Nobody around here has seen them often enough to remember who they are or that they're members of the group now."

"So you're sending 'em out drinkin'?" Shinon asked.

"We're sending them out to get information," Titania corrected. "They're our best chance."

"Are you three game?" Ike asked, turning his gaze back toward the trio.

Garland nodded. "Yeah. I think we should wait a couple days before we start pumping people for information, though. If Bastian's just leaving for Daein today, it'll take a little time for anyone this far from the capital to get wind of an uprising."

"I agree. The Greil Mercenaries should also lay low in the meantime," Soren affirmed. "The less attention we bring ourselves, the looser peoples lips are going to be."

"Good call, both of you," Ike agreed. "Wait for three days and then you three can head out. It's probably for the best if you guys don't leave the fort for the next couple days too." He glanced around the room at the rest of the mercenaries. "You're all dismissed. Go back to...whatever it is you all do in the evenings."

"Oh goodie. Cabin fever all over again," Phoenix grumbled as he stood back up, walking toward Mia to get in a little more training before the sun set.

"I still don't understand why I can't be part of this 'mission'," Shinon muttered, his voice low enough that only Garland could hear him.

"Oh yeah, Cirrhosis the Wonder-Sniper, I'm sure you and your ability to go from completely sober to totally sloshed in record-breaking time will be a tremendous help," Garland snarked as the remaining mercenaries filed out.

"Ffffffffuck you, Blueberry," Shinon retorted, though Garland could see the playful smirk on his face.

"Whatever, ya stupid Cherry," Garland replied with an equally playful roll of her eyes as she stood up. "Let's get out of here so you can waste more of my time bitching."

"My bitching is the highlight of your day. Don't even try to pretend it's not," Shinon argued as he followed the bluenette outside.

* * *

 **Ending Notes: Yeah...Garland and Shinon might be low-key tsunderes for each other. Not gonna lie, I think these two are my non-canon brotp.**

 **Next chapter's gonna see some undercover bar-hopping and quite possibly a rescue of the epic variety along with more of Garland and Shinon's vitriolic best buds dynamic.**

 **As always, feedback and constructive criticism are more than welcome! Thank you all so much for reading! It really means a lot to me! Geekinthepink, out!**


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